“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” -Coco Chanel
“"Style" is an expression of individualism mixed with charisma. Fashion is something that comes after style.” -John Fairchild

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

Dear Mr. Sartorialist...

My widgets on my G4 laptop comes equipped with an English Dictionary. One day, I decided that I would find the definition for 'Sartorial'. I came across this definition:

"Of or relating to tailoring, clothes or style of dress: sartorial elegance."

Upon my discovery of the definition of this word, I became intrigued that the example given to show the word 'sartorial' in context was 'sartorial elegance'. This gave me an engrained image in my head of what YOUR definition of style means (regardless of whether or not this is true). I have been following your work and am envious of your ability to find beauty in the most unimaginable areas of style and dress. The subtle accents, the bright hues of stitching, even perhaps the ways a pair of pants are ruggedly tucked into a pair of wellies. I currently reside in Colorado, so, undoubtedly, my findings are few and far between when it comes to the fashion foreward. Irregardless of what I, myself am able to discover, I fall relentlessly enamored with your irrefutably distinguished taste for fashion and the arts.

For those of you reading this who are not familiar with the Sartorialist, please figure him out. I have seen his work and heard his opinion of the different style choices presented by individuals ranging from old businessmen to women scouring the shelves at Marc Jacobs. The Sartorialist offers the best pictures, comments and suggestions for his search for individuals donning a relatively bizarre, yet mysteriously well put-together ensemble and head out the door.

I must say that I have found myself putting together some interesting combinations to gear away from 'the usual'. I head out the door with a leather belt on my waist over a sportscoat, contemplated the repercussions for wearing my jeans tucked into my boots, even experimenting with alterations to my dresshirts to give them an authentic style twist without seeming too desperate for awkward attention. I am sure anyone who has grown up thinking to themselves, "I want everyone to notice how different I am!", rather than "I don't want to stand out" has succeeded in some form of personal dress that makes them a pioneer in their community as a fashionably-dressed gentleman or lady.

In a way, I am pleased with the way I too, am able to find beauty in the unnoticed as well as the mainstream. Being able to spot the quietly-dressed fashionistas becomes the key to what makes my day. I hope that one day, I will have the pleasure of meeting you for coffee and seeing you get lost in your work. "Why is she wearing that?" "huh, I have never seen that combination before" or perhaps a silent nod with eyes as sharp as a kitchen knife, dissecting each layer to truly understand their reasoning behind their personal style efforts.

Best wishes,

Ken Izawa

The Sartorialist can be found on thesartorialist.blogspot.com, www.thesartorialist.com, gq.com and on style.com, where he offers his expertise on trends, fashion technique and style options for all fashionistas- ranging from the hip and crowded streets of New York, Paris and Milan to backstreets and alleyways where true street style thrives.

My It Things

About Me

I have always taken on an interest in fashion. Since I was little, I used to be fascinated with the way people dressed and prepared themselves for almost any given occasion. My interests grew very rapidly and all throughout high school, I used to take my Mother's fashion magazines and read articles and familiarize myself with (at the time) current trends and fashion forecasting. To this day, I cannot help myself when I find a flaw in the way someone dresses or the way they present themselves. My background includes living in Tokyo, Michigan, London and Colorado, visiting over 25 countries and having friends and connections throughout the world. I have been exposed to various cultures which helped me create a worldly understanding of different fashion trends and how they are impacted by other cultures.
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